Obama to Announce Troop Increase in Afghanistan on December 01
According to a report by NPR, United States President Barack Hussein Obama is set to announce his decision on troop levels in Afghanistan on December 01, 2009.
Obama Closes In On Afghan Troop Increase [NPR]
McClatchy is stating that Obama will send 34,000 more American troops to Afghanistan within the next year. The deployment of additional troops will roll out over nine months beginning in March of 2010.
Cautious Plan:
The administration‘s plan contains “off-ramps,” points starting next June at which Obama could decide to continue the flow of troops, halt the deployments and adopt a more limited strategy or “begin looking very quickly at exiting” the country, depending on political and military progress, one defense official said.
There are currently 68,000 United States troops in Afghanistan. Though the 34,000 Mclatchy is stating just under General Stanley McChrystal’s requested 40,000, the additional troop force will bring the total number of United States troops in Afghanistan to 102,000. In addition to what could be 102,000 American soldiers, there are currently 42,000 other international troops in Afghanistan.
Obama plans to send 34,000 more troops to Afghanistan [McClatchy]